To Kill an Avenger
by WibbleyWobbleyTimeyWhimey
Summary: Loki makes a deal with the Avengers: Release me, and I'll give you the antidote.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey, guys! So this is my first fanfic ever, and I'm really excited! Please go easy on me, because I'm new to the world of fanfiction :). Updates will be sporadic, but I'll try to write some every week. (The key word in that sentence was TRY.) Please, please review! Reviews are love, and love makes the world go round!

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, nor do I own any of the Avengers. If I did, I wouldn't be driving a 2002 Toyota.

Tony leaned back in his chair, messing around with his phone. Bruce sat next to him, fiddling with one of Tony's gadgets. Natasha and Clint were engaged in conversation. Steve sat attentively (once a soldier, always a soldier), while Thor stared out the window.

"Remind me again why we have to be here," Tony yawned as Fury walked through the door.

"I want you to take this seriously, Stark," Fury growled.

"Oh,I am serious. Serious as a heart attack." Tony smiled, patting his arc reactor. "I just don't think it's a good idea to bring out the guy who threw me out of a window. I don't know about you guys, but I'm not particularly fond of psychopaths."

"That is my brother you are speaking of so disrespectfully, son of Stark," Thor said indignantly.

"I'm told he's adopted. Plus there's the minor detail that he killed thousands and destroyed half of New York." Thor was silent.

"Are you done, Stark?" Fury sighed.

"I believe I am," Tony said, flashing a grin and turning his attention back to the phone.

"Bring him in," Fury signaled to two agents stationed by the door. They left for a few moments, returning with Loki in handcuffs.

"How... Nice it is to see you again, Avengers," Loki said, sneering.

"The feeling's mutual, sweetheart," Tony replied, not looking up. Steve glared at Tony, wondering why the man never seemed to be able to keep his mouth shut. There was something unsettling in Loki's gaze, which had fallen on the genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist.

"Loki-" Fury began.

"My apologies, Man of Anger, but I must interrupt you," Loki said, smiling a bit manically. Tony snorted, both at the idea of someone interrupting Fury and at the new nickname.

"I have a proposal for you. First, you must release me from this pathetic mortal prison." Here, Steve snorted. Who did he think he was? Loki was in no position to make deals, especially after killing so many innocents.

Loki locked his icy gaze on Steve. "After you release me," he said, still coldly staring at Steve, "I will give you the antidote."

"What are you talking about?" Clint asked, a suspicious edge to his voice.

Loki sighed at their pathetic mortal brains. Only the Son of Stark seemed to catch on, finally looking up from his communication device.

"I mean," he said with exaggerated patience, "that I have poisoned one of your teammates."

His words were met with dead silence. Finally, after several minutes, Thor spoke.

"Brother," he said incredulously, "why?"

"Psychopath. I told you guys," Tony said in a matter-of-fact voice, despite the fact that his face had grown a few shades paler.

Loki ignored the jibe. "You have seven days, Avengers, or you will lose one of your own."

After Loki had been escorted back to his cell, the Avengers sat despondently around the table. Even Tony was silent.

Steve was sure it was him. He felt queasy. Captain America felt queasy. Because he was the leader, Loki was sure to want to take him out. Without him, the team would fall apart. It had to be him.

That's why he was the most surprised when he heard a grunt and a crash as Tony collapsed onto the floor.

A/N: ...And a cliffhanger! :) See you guys next time, but only if you review!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!

Creatividadqueamo: thank you so so much! I'll try to update as much as possible, but once school starts, I can't make any promises :(. Not a huge fan of slash (sorry), but I'll definitely add a heaping ton of bromance and possibly some mild Pepperony.

Steph: thank you! I wasn't sure how well I was capturing the characters, but you reassured me. Thanks :)

A few things I forgot to mention: I love bromance, Tony whump, and good h/c, all of which will be featured! There might be some mild Pepperony (because I think they're adorable together). The fic will have the points of view of all of the team members, and possibly Fury/Pepper/Loki POV.

Well, that was a long author's note. I'll shut up and write now.

Disclaimer: still don't own any of the characters, never will.

Tony was dimly aware of the panicked voices around him. He was sinking, sinking, sinking. Finally, he let go into a much-welcomed darkness.

He had been feeling sick since he'd woken up that morning. He had shaken off the splitting headache, blaming it on the two hours of sleep he'd gotten last night. After some pills for the migraine, he had made his way to Fury's stupid meeting.

He really didn't want to see Loki. Not this early, and definitely not with a headache. There was something about the god that just got under his skin. Perhaps it was the fact that he had thrown Tony out of a window. That's not something you can easily forget.

His plan was to text Pepper (she was rambling on about some crucial meeting or another), and to completely shut out Loki.

When the god had walked through the doors, Tony's stomach began to tighten. Fighting back the nausea, he continued to stare at his phone, not really seeing it. Loki had a way of getting inside his mind. He didn't know how, and he didn't care how. Tony Stark's mind was off -limits. There were so many brilliant ideas stored up there, and most of them weren't patented.

And Tony didn't like the way Loki was staring at him. It was unnerving, but Tony was NOT about to show any weakness to the stupid, smirking god.

When Loki mentioned the poison, Tony's head shot up. Loki's eyes were fixed on him. Everything clicked.

Seven days... Seven days... They couldn't let that maniac back out on the streets! He would destroy New York. But then again, what was Tony's life worth?

Some more words were said, and with a last, withering look, Loki was led away.

Silence.

When Tony couldn't stand the tension any longer, he started to stand, with all intentions of making some snarky remark to lighten the mood.

Standing was a mistake.

A/N: sorry that this chapter was so short... It was a bit of a filler. Once again, review, review, review! Reviews inspire me to update!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: so this chapter is going to be longer. Thanks for the reviews

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story

Bruce had watched Tony start to stand, when a look of mild confusion crossed the billionaire's face. All of a sudden, Tony was on the ground.

Fury cursed, as Bruce bent down to check Tony's vitals. He sighed in relief at the pulse, which was still strong.

"We need to get him off the floor," Steve said, with his usual air of authority. Bruce noticed the shaking hands despite the gruff voice.

Thor grabbed Tony by the armpits and roughly hoisted him back into his chair, where he sat, slumped over himself.

"Way to be gentle, Thor," Clint said. "Well, at least we know who's been poisoned!"

"What...an astute... observation, Legolas," came a moan from the chair. Everyone whipped around to look at Tony, who was struggling to sit up.

"Stark!" Steve said in relief.

"Yes, it's me. Now does someone want to help me, or am I going to have to walk to the infirmary?"

"How are you feeling, Stark?" asked Fury. Bruce thought he heard an edge of concern to Fury's tone, but he figured he must have imagined it. This was Nick Fury they were talking about.

"Like a truck ran over me. Would you like me to repeat the question?"

Bruce smirked. If Tony was still cracking jokes, he couldn't be that sick. His stomach dropped when a voice at the back of his mind added the word _yet_.

"I've got him," Steve volunteered, picking up Tony like a child.

"Aww, thanks, Cap!" Tony said. "You can be my legs. ONWARD, BULLSEYE!"

"Don't push it, Stark," Steve muttered.

"Am I annoying you, Cap? I'm terribly sorry. I'll just get down and walk. Oh wait, I can't..."

Their voices faded down the hallway.

Natasha turned to Thor with quiet fury. "Do something."

"I am afraid I cannot do anything," Thor told her sadly. "My brother has obviously used strong magic to poison Son of Stark. It would take strong magic to heal him."

"Talk to Loki," Bruce suggested. "Figure out how to heal Tony."

"He will not listen to me, nor will he listen to any of you," the god replied.

Bruce felt the other guy rising, struggling to break free. He stepped closer to Thor so that they were face to face.

His words portrayed the anger Bruce felt, the anger that was surging through his bones. Thor detected a hint of green in the other man's eyes.

"I suggest you try," Bruce growled through his teeth. "Because I am not about to watch my best friend die. Do you understand?" The other guy moved inside of him, threatening to show himself.

Thor took a step back. "I understand, Son of Banner. I will do my best. However, I do not wish to give you false hope."

Bruce turned on his heel and marched out of the door. He was going to see Tony.

He found his friend in the infirmary, relaxed and laying back on a hospital bed. He was connected to a bunch of machinery, which felt wrong to Bruce. He was used to seeing Tony running around spastically, with nothing to tie him down. His friend didn't seem bothered in the slightest, however.

Steve stood next to Tony's bed, arms crossed, with a look of worry on his face.

"Hey, Bruce!" Tony called, waving him into the room. "I was just explaining the Internet to Capsicle here."

"He won't take his medicine," Steve sighed.

"Don't need it. Loki used magic to poison me, it'll take magic to cure me. And I don't think those are magic pills that the nurses are giving me. Although, they could be."

"They're painkillers, Tony," Bruce said, looking at said pills.

"Don't need them," Tony repeated. "They'll just drag me down. I need 100% of my brain power to work out this problem."

"Just let it go," Bruce said to Steve, who looked as if he was about to say something else. Steve shut his mouth.

"Thank you Bruce. At least one other person can see sense," Tony smiled up at them.

Just then, Fury stomped through the door.

"Well if it isn't the Angry Man! How nice of you to come visit me!" Tony said, a smile still plastered on his face.

"Shut up, Stark," Fury hissed, and Tony assumed a face of mock indignation. "I need Rogers and Banner. New York is under attack."

"Ooh, a fight!" Tony said. "If you would kindly help me up..."

"You can't even stand, Tony," Bruce reasoned.

"I don't need to stand. I can fly."

"ENOUGH!" Fury burst out. "I want Rogers, and I want Banner. Stark, you are not needed on this mission. It should be pretty easy, anyway."

Tony sighed as his friends left the room. "I guess I'll just stay here and stare at the wall!" he called after them. "Maybe I'll twiddle my thumbs!"

When no answer came back, Tony sighed again and leaned back onto his pillow. He would just close his eyes for a few minutes...

**A/N: So, this one was a little bit longer. Next chapter, we'll see the battle. Fury said it should be easy, didn't he? ;) There was a disappointing lack of reviews last time, but thanks so much to Livin and Nat! Please, please, please review, and I'll have the next chapter up ASAP**.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews!

Nat: I'm sort of playing with the idea of Tony's health slowly deteriorating. Also, Tony seems like the kind of guy who would hide his pain from his friends. So, it's a little bit of both :) thanks so much for the awesome review!

GoodbyeNemesis: thanks! I think that Tony was the easiest target; Thor is a god, Steve has the serum, and Bruce is the Hulk. Also, Loki has a score to settle with Tony, because he wasn't able to control him like Clint.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the mutants.

"What the heck are these things?" Natasha shouted to Clint, who was loading arrows into his bow at the speed of light.

"How am I supposed to know?" Clint yelled back as he took out two of the pterodactyl-like creatures with one explosive arrow.

Clint ducked, narrowly escaping decapitation. The dinosaur screeched as it hurtled over the assassin and was hit by Mjölnir.

Steve grunted, forced to roll out of the way of outstretched talons. Clint's arrow pierced the soft underbelly, and Steve had to dive out of the way of the reptile hurtling to the ground.

"How many more are left?" Clint shouted to Natasha, who had begun to chuck knives at an oncoming swarm.

"Easy mission, my butt! I'm going to kill Fury!" Natasha pulled yet another knife out of a creature's back. "About thirty."

"We can take 'em," Clint called back. Out of the corner of his eye, Clint saw the Hulk leap onto the back of one of the aliens with an animalistic roar. It panicked, tried to throw the weight off its back, and somehow ended up in the side of a building. The Hulk jumped back to the ground unscathed and proceeded to swing a pterodactyl by the beak around his head. Yeah. They could take 'em.

Clint began loading three arrows into his bow at a time, sensing where his targets were, rather than seeing them. He turned in time to see Steve throw his shield frisbee-style, knocking down lizards like dominoes. Natasha was flinging daggers at an alarming rate, while Thor was swinging Mjölnir left and right. At this rate, they would be done in no time.

Ten minutes later, Natasha was gathering her knives from the fallen bodies, Clint was picking up his arrows, Thor was brushing off his armor, Steve was picking through the rubble to find his shield, and the Hulk was shrinking down to the size of Dr. Banner.

"Come in, Agent Barton," came a voice from Clint's earpiece.

Pressing his earpiece further into his ear, Clint said, "Agent Barton."

The voice was Fury's. "Are you done?"

"Yeah," said Barton. "Those lizards didn't know what hit them. I just wish we knew where they came from."

"That's irrelevant. They were mutants created in a lab accident. The scientists in question have been taken into custody. As long as you've taken care of them, I'm happy." Fury didn't sound happy, though. "I want you all to come back immediately."

"What's going on, chief?"

"It's Stark." Clint felt his stomach drop.

"Is he OK?"

"We can't get him to wake up."

**A/N: Two apologies: Sorry that this chapter was so short, and sorry that there was another cliffhanger. Updates are probably going to slow down for a little while, because I'll be really busy this week. Your homework: REVIEW :)**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: OK, so this chapter will probably be more dramatic than the others, and longer. What will the Avengers do while Tony is in a coma? Why, confront the god who got him there, of course!

Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: Nothing has changed in the past few hours. I still don't own the Avengers.

Thor strode purposefully down the hall towards his brother's cell, Mjölnir in hand. Friend Stark was deteriorating; he had to talk to Loki.

Loki stood with his back to the entrance, hands clasped behind his back.

Security had been tripled after Agent Coulson's death. Tony had made several adjustments to Loki's cage, making it virtually impossible for Loki to get out.

"Brother," Thor called, marching past the 24-hour guards (not that they could stop Loki if he escaped, but they could call for the people who could).

Loki slowly turned towards Thor, an unpleasant gleam in his eyes. "Yes, dear brother?" He spat out the last word.

"What have you done to Friend Stark?"

"I have told you, Thor. It is a rather simple poison, but I assure you that it is quite deadly."

Thor made a noise at the back of his throat that resembled a growl. "He is not awakening from his slumber."

"Yes, he should be at that stage about now. First comes the inability to walk. Next comes utter exhaustion. He will most likely awaken in a day or two. After he does, he will experience paralysis of the limbs. Then comes pain, and afterwards, death."

Thor felt an overpowering urge to hit Loki with Mjölnir. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, trying not to think of his pale, motionless friend upstairs. "Give us the antidote, brother."

"Why should I?" Loki laughed. "This man means nothing to me. In fact, I find him rather annoying. Something like a pest that must be exterminated."

"Mark my words, brother," Thor hissed. "If Friend Stark perishes, so will you."

Loki merely smiled. "That is an empty threat, brother. There is nothing you could do to me that would cause me to save Stark. Unless, of course, you release me."

"Why?"

"It is rather dull in this cage," Loki replied. Midgard is much more... intriguing, don't you agree?"

"You shall not hurt the people of this world, Brother. Not while I am here," Thor growled.

"Pity. Stark was the only mortal I've met with a decent set of brains."

"He shall not die! That is a promise." With that, Thor turned with a sweep of his cape and left.

"There is nothing you can do to save him!" Thor ignored Loki's voice as he marched upstairs.

The Avengers were gathered around Tony's bed, listening to the steady beat of the heart monitor. They all looked up as Thor entered.

"Well?" Natasha was the first to speak.

"He has a will of iron," Thor replied, fuming. "He will not back down."

Steve groaned, leaning back in his chair. "What are we going to do about it?"

"I must return to Asgard," Thor told him. My father will perhaps know what to do. He has allies who are very skilled with magic and potions."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Bruce asked. "Go and talk to Fury."

Thor opened his mouth to reply, then closed it when he saw a glimmer of green in Bruce's eyes. He left, promising not to return empty-handed.

The silence in Tony's room continued long after the god had left. Finally, Natasha spoke. "Who's going to call Pepper?"

The men looked at each other, a bit awkwardly. Clint looked back at Natasha. "Well... You're a woman..."

"Thanks for noticing, Barton," Natasha replied, rolling her eyes.

"He means that you would probably be more sensitive than any of us," Bruce said.

"Me? Gentle?" Natasha scoffed. "I have the patience of the Hulk, and I don't do tears. If you want someone sensitive to call her, Steve should do it."

"Me?" Steve looked a bit panicky. "What do I say?"

"Tell her that Tony's in the hospital. We'll explain everything to her when she gets here," Natasha said. She dialed Pepper's number into her phone, then handed it to Steve.

"Hello?" came Pepper's voice. Steve stared at the phone, perplexed.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Natasha sighed, snatching the phone away from Steve. "Hello, Ms. Potts," Natasha said into the phone. "This is Natasha Romanoff."

"Natasha? Is Tony alright?" Pepper asked in a worried voice.

"He's in the hospital..." Natasha began, and Pepper cursed.

"Which one?"

"I'll come by and pick you up." Natasha hung up, glared at the men, and strode out of the room.

All that the men could do, for the time being, was hope.

**A/N: So, there weren't many reviews last time, but thanks to the people who did! I'll update ASAP, but please review! Thanks :)**


	6. Chapter 6

Pepper sat,holding Tony's limp hand in hers. It was strange to see him this way. He was almost... peaceful. A stranger would think that he was just sleeping. They couldn't tell that a power-hungry god had taken advantage of an innocent mortal (using the word 'innocent' loosely), and that Tony was fighting for his life. Pepper stopped and took a deep breath. She was letting her feelings get the best of her.

She looked around the small, makeshift hospital room. Clint and Natasha were talking in hushed voices, Bruce had his eyes closed, and Steve was staring at Tony and Pepper, a sort of longing in his eyes. She wondered if he was thinking of Peggy.

A low moan directed her attention back to Tony. His eyes opened a crack, bleary with sleep. Slowly, he blinked, looking up at her.

"Hey, Tony," she said, smiling. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my insides have been mauled by an angry bear. When did you get here?"

"Yesterday," she replied. Tony cursed under his breath.

"How long have I been out?"

"About a day and a half. It was like the power nap of the century, man," Clint told him.

Tony yawned, then tried to stretch his arms. They remained still. Oh God. He tried again. No matter how hard he tried, his arms wouldn't budge. Ohgodohgodohgod why couldn't he move his arms? Swallowing his panic, Tony looked up at Pepper.

"What are the side effects of this poison?" Tony asked, trying to remain calm.

She exchanged a look with Dr. Banner before replying. "The inability to walk, exhaustion, pain, and... paralysis of the limbs."

Tony leaned back into his pillow with a sigh. He did everything with his hands. He _needed_ his hands. Tony stared blankly at the ceiling until finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Pepper spoke.

"Tony, Thor has gone back to Asgard to get the antidote."

"I wondered where Hammer Head had gone," Tony replied, not looking at her. The painful silence returned.

"Guys, we can talk, you know," Tony finally said, some of the normal light returning to his eyes. "I'm not dead yet."

"You're not going to die," Steve said sharply.

"Don't be ridiculous, Cap. Everyone dies. I'm famished. Shawarma, anyone? Pepper, you get the enjoyable task of feeding me."

"Excuse me?" Pepper asked, trying to conceal a smile.

"Well I certainly can't do it myself," Tony replied, nodding at his arms. "Clint can't even feed himself properly. He has absolutely no table manners."

"Thanks, Tony," Clint interjected, although he was relieved to see Tony's humor return.

"I just don't trust Romanoff," Tony continued, "and it would be odd if Cap or Bruce did it."

"I concur," Bruce said, standing. "I'm going to go talk to Fury. He needs to know that you're awake."

Natasha also stood when she saw Tony's eyes starting to droop. "We'd better go, too," she said, nudging Clint.

"Why?" Clint whined. "He just woke up! On second thought," he said, seeing the look on Natasha's face, "she's right." He hurried out of the door, Natasha hot on his heels.

Steve also stood. "It's good to see you awake, Stark," he said.

"It's good to see me awake, too," Tony replied, smiling.

"Nice to see you, Ms. Potts." Steve nodded politely.

"Steve, call me Pepper. Please."

"Alright, Pepper," he said, smiling a bit sadly as he shut the door.

"I'm glad you're here, Pepper," Tony sighed, closing his eyes.

"Me too," Pepper told him, savoring the fact that he was alive. Thinking he was asleep, she added, "Don't you dare leave me."

She almost didn't catch his reply. "I'm not going anywhere."

_ I know_, she thought as he drifted off to sleep.

**A/N: Loved it? Hated it? Review! This chapter was harder to write than the rest. I'm not sure why...**

**Thanks for all the amazing reviews for chapter five :)**

**Preview of the last few chapters: Angst! Drama! An extremely bored Tony!**

**Thanks for sticking with me. I think we're almost done...**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Avengers, nor do I own Odin. The only person I own in this chapter is the nurse (Who has one line).

"THOR!" roared Odin jovially. "My son has returned! Embrace me! We must feast..."

"Father," Thor interrupted, "I wish to speak with you in private." Odin waved away his counsel members and servants. When the large door on the other side of the hall closed, Thor spoke. "It is Brother Loki, Father."

"Do not speak his name," Odin reprimanded sharply. "He is no son of mine."

"Father, a friend is facing death at Loki's hands. What do you know of magic poisons?"

"Too much," sighed Odin. "What symptoms has this friend been experiencing?" Thor told his father of Tony's condition. "It seems that he has ingested the fruit of the Drapsmann Tree. However, it takes powerful dark magic to pick the fruit of such a tree."

"Where do I find the antidote?"

"I am afraid that it is found deep in Odin's Forest. It is called the Rettsmiddel Root." Odin began flipping through a large book of plants, finally coming across a picture of a white, spiraled root. "This is where you need to go," Odin said, pointing at a spot on a map of Asgard. It is a day's journey there, and a day's journey back."

"Then I have no time to lose," Thor said, picking up Mjölnir.

"Wait, son," Odin said, pulling out a jeweled dagger from his cloak. "Magic is required to obtain the Rettsmiddel Root. This dagger can cut through any substance. Use it well."

"Thank you, Father," Thor replied, bowing.

"It is a dangerous journey. Make haste, but be cautious."

"I will not fail you, nor will I fail Friend Stark," said Thor, and he marched out of the door. He had to hurry. According to Loki, Tony only had three days left. He set off into the mysterious wilderness at a rapid pace, thinking only of the strange white root.

...

Steve trotted down the hall towards Tony's room, whistling. He stopped when he heard a noise coming from inside. Was that... Was Tony... singing?

Steve hesitated before opening the door. "Tony?" he said, poking his head through the door.

"Hey! C'pt'n 'Merica!" Tony slurred, lifting his head to look at Steve.

"You OK?" he asked nervously.

"Never been b'tt'r!"

Steve realized that there was a frazzled-looking nurse slumped in one of the chairs. "What happened?" he asked her, helping her to her feet.

"Painkillers," she sighed. "He finally took them, and when he did, he got a little loopy."

"I can see that," Steve said, glancing over at his friend, who was belting out the Battle Hymn of the Republic at the top of his lungs. "I'll handle him," he said to the nurse, who thanked him profusely before hurrying out the door.

"S-so buddy," Tony mumbled when Steve turned towards him. "W-wanna...wanna hear a joke?"

"Umm..."

"What did the apple say to the orange? Nothing! Fruit can't talk!" Tony cracked up, doubled over with laughter.

"OK, Tony. It's time to go to sleep now," Steve said, settling down in a chair. He was relieved when Tony closed his eyes.

"Hey, Cap?" came Tony's voice after a few minutes, a bit less slurred.

"Yeah, Tony?"

"Thanks for being there for me."

"You're welcome."

"And Cap?"

"Yes?"

"This conversation never leaves this room."

"Agreed."

A/N: Please review :)


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers

Natasha, in all the time she had known Tony, had never seen the man show any kind of pain. Broken femur? Tony had laughed that off, saying something about a peg leg. Concussion? Some slurred words about how he hoped he didn't lose brain cells. Poison? Tony was

doubled over in pain.

He was tough. He was incredibly arrogant and irritating, but his heart was in the right place, and he was strong. He had survived torture in Afghanistan, had nearly gotten himself killed saving New York from that missile, and from what she could tell, he would do almost anything for anybody on the team. He hid behind that big, snarky exterior, but she could tell he was soft on the inside, and he was courageous.

But right now, big Tony Stark looked incredibly small. Natasha had "Stark duty" while Pepper was in a meeting, and she winced at every shallow breath, every hacking cough.

Tony refused to take his painkillers. When she had tried to argue, Steve had touched her arm, shaking his head. Natasha never seen the men agree on anything. Even when they were going out to dinner, the two argued about where they should go. There was something in Steve's eyes that prevented further discussion, though.

"Hey... SpiderWoman..." Tony said weakly from his bed. "Why don't you get some rest? I'm going to... take a nap."

"I'm staying."

"Suit... yourself..." Tony whispered, and soon he was asleep.

_Hurry, Thor_, Natasha thought desperately.

...

Thor was weary after traveling all day over mountainous terrain. If Tony's life wasn't hanging in the balance, Thor might have given up. But he couldn't do that when he knew his friend only had one day left to live.

A strange glow at Thor's right attracted his attention. He half-walked, half-crawled over fallen trees and bushes towards the eerie light. A broad smile enveloped his face when he saw the spiraled root sticking out of the ground at an odd angle.

The god put down his hammer and gripped the root firmly, pulling with all his might. It would not budge.

Remembering his father's dagger, he drew the object from his cloak. It was a beautiful knife, set with precious jewels and inscribed with Asgardian poetry. He tightened his grip on the jeweled hilt, and, with one sweeping motion, brought the dagger upon the root. It sliced cleanly, and Thor tucked the antidote into his pocket.

Now he had to make the return journey. The forests were much more dangerous at night.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, an unknown beast growled from behind him. He heard the rustle of underbrush and whipped around, blindly slicing the dagger through the air. At that moment, a huge shape burst forth, and Thor caught its underbelly with the dagger. The creature, which somewhat resembled a saber-toothed tiger, gave a feline howl of pain and collapsed at the god's feet.

Staring at the body of the beast, Thor decided that he much preferred fighting with a hammer. Summoning Mjölnir, he carefully slid the knife into it's sheath.

Taking one last cautious glance around him, Thor started back towards his father's palace. He had to hurry.

He broke into a run.

**A/N: Review please :) I like reviews.**


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: so this is the second to last chapter :) It's a little short...

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers.

Thor ran with everything he had, leaping over fallen trees and narrow streams. Son of Stark had merely one hour left.

...

Tony's breathing hitched, and every member of the team sat upright. He was sleeping, his face pale and clammy. The beeping of the heart monitor had become irregular. _Thor's really cutting it close_, thought Clint nervously.

...

Thor burst through the doors of his father's palace, breathing heavily. "FATHER!" he roared, and Odin appeared beside him.

"Have you got the root?" Thor nodded, handing it to him. "I will make the antidote. It will take several minutes."

"Make haste. Friend Stark does not have much time."

...

Tony's breathing had turned into a feeble wheeze. Every now and again he would flinch, as if from an unpleasant nightmare. Natasha checked her watch. _Half an hour_...

...

Thor raced towards the portal, cradling the precious chalice in his hand. He had to make it. _15 minutes_...

...

Tony gave a large sigh. Bruce's head shot up when he didn't breathe in again. The heart monitor had gone flat, and Tony's lips were turning a light shade of blue. _No_, Bruce thought.

That's when Thor burst through the door.

A/N: please review :)


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I'm so sorry that this update has taken so long! This is the final chapter... Enjoy :)

Thor saw the blue light of the arc reactor flicker and die. He saw Bruce and Steve leap to their feet. He saw Pepper, frozen in shock, staring at Tony's unmoving form. And Thor just stood there, mouth hanging slightly agape, chalice still clutched in his hand.

"What are you doing, Thor?" Natasha shouted as Bruce began to perform chest compressions. "Give me that!" She snatched the chalice out of Thor's grip and sprang gracefully to Tony's bedside.

"I was too late..." Thor whispered, feeling his chest tighten slightly.

"You don't know that, Thor. Not yet," Clint said, prying open Tony's jaws.

Natasha elbowed a protesting Bruce out of the way. "We have to get this stuff in him. Now." As Clint held his friend's mouth open, Natasha tilted the chalice toward Tony's lips.

A pale blue steam snaked out of the cup, entering Tony's throat and disappearing. Natasha blinked. What had just happened?

"What was that?" Pepper asked, hyperventilating. "What did you just do?" Everyone ignored her.

"Come on, Tony," pleaded Bruce.

The heart monitor did not resume it's beeping. The arc reactor did not flicker back to life. Nothing happened. A single tear found it's way out of Pepper's eye, trickling down her cheek and falling onto the floor.

Thor lowered his head in shame. _I failed him_, he thought. _I failed all of them._

Then he heard a single beep. Then two. Then three.

Tony gave a shuddering gasp. His arc reactor filled the darkened room with blue light, and color gradually returned to his face.

"Tony?" Steve asked incredulously.

Tony opened his eyes slightly. "Ugh. Why do I feel like I've been trampled by wild horses?"

Pepper pushed everyone crowded around the bed out of her way with surprising force. Grabbing Tony's shoulders, she pressed her lips to his, tears running freely down her face. Tony's eyes widened for half of a second, and then he began to kiss her back.

Steve pushed everyone out of the room. The couple deserved some privacy. Besides, the team really needed to talk to Fury.

...

"Well thank God," Fury said upon hearing the news. "We need Stark."

"How must we penalize my brother?" Thor asked.

"He can spend the rest of eternity rotting in that cell for all I care. Who wants to tell him that Stark survived?"

"Are you sure we should tell him?" Natasha asked. "If he believed that Stark was dead, he wouldn't try to hurt him again."

"My brother is clever," Thor replied. "If we do not send word to him or lie to him, he will discover the truth. He will not be fooled by you again," he added, seeing Natasha's skeptical expression.

"What are we waiting for?" Clint said. "I really want to rub this in his face."

...

Loki turned towards the team as they entered, a triumphant smile on his face. It faded when he saw the smug looks they were all giving him.

"Brother," said Thor icily.

"Thor," Loki acknowledged, glancing around at each Avenger's face. None of them were the sorrowful, teary-eyed faces he'd been expecting.

"Thor managed to get the antidote," the one they called Hawk told him, grinning.

Loki felt light headed. How? How had this happened? He had planned it all so carefully, down to the last detail. This pesky mortal just would not die! He had made sure not to leave one loose end... But wait...

"Was it Odin?" Loki sighed. Thor nodded. "He has always been a thorn in my side."

Thor growled and took a step closer to Loki's cell. "Do not speak of my father in that disrespectful tone."

"Easy, Buddy," Bruce said. "He's not worth it."

As the team turned to go, Loki decided to take one last jab. "I am sorry, Avengers."

"For almost killing Tony?" Steve asked, a questioning look in his eyes.

"That he survived."

A roar ripped through Bruce's chest before he could stop it. Loki took a step back, remembering the last encounter he'd had with the Hulk. Bruce closed his eyes, reminding himself to breathe. He couldn't afford to have an incident here. He might let Loki loose.

"If you _ever_," Bruce said, opening his eyelids to reveal bright green irises, "hurt Tony or anyone else on this team again, I will kill you. And that's a promise." He turned and stormed out of the room,

"That goes the same for me," Steve said as he followed his friend out.

"And me," Clint said.

Natasha gave Loki a meaningful glance and fingered one of the daggers she always carried with her.

As Clint and Natasha left, Thor looked at his brother. Loki was surprised at Thor's cold glare. "You may be sure that I will help them." With that, the god left Loki, who was wondering how his plan had gone so wrong.

...

When Steve entered Tony's room a few days later, his friend was sitting up and joking with an extremely pleased-looking Pepper.

"Hey, Cap!" Tony waved, a huge grin on his face. "Where's everyone? They're missing one heck of a party!"

"Fury called everyone in for a meeting on this whole incident."

"So why aren't you there?" Tony asked. "Did you get kicked out of the club? Did I? Oh, I hope Fury didn't find those bugs in his apartment..."

"What?" Pepper said sharply.

"Nothing, dear. Let the good man talk!"

"Fury wanted me to ask you how long you'll be incapacitated. He says that we need you, so you'd better get off your lazy, erm, bum, and come to next week's meeting." Steve smiled at Tony's face.

"Well, isn't that sweet. Did he send flowers as well?" Tony said sarcastically. "Nurse says that I'll be out of here tomorrow."

"She did not!" Pepper said, rolling her eyes and turning to Steve. "She says that he'll be released in three days if he continues to improve."

"Well, my friend Benjamin Franklin is a pretty convincing fellow. I'm sure that after a chat with him, the nurse will let me out tomorrow."

"Tony! I am not going to let you bribe the nurse!" Pepper scolded. Steve could tell that she was trying not to laugh. He was having trouble keeping a straight face himself. It was good to have Tony back.

"I'll tell Fury that you'll be able to come next week," Steve said, heading towards the door.

"Bye, Steve!" Pepper called after him before leaning over to kiss Tony. Blushing slightly, Steve shut the door behind him.

"Goodbye, Capsicle!" he heard Tony's voice call after him. Yeah. It was good to have Tony back.

...

Everyone clapped when Tony entered the meeting room the following week. He gave a dramatic bow, meriting more applause.

Everyone laughed at his jokes, even Natasha and Fury. Tony gave them both startled looks, making everyone laugh even harder.

No one woke him up when he decided to take a nap with his feet propped up on the meeting table. The sound of his even, regular, breathing made them all relax a little.

Only Fury turned Tony down when he woke up and invited them to Stark Tower for pizza. Fury had "more pressing duties" at hand. He didn't even respond when Tony called him a fun-sucking loser.

Pepper was in the best mood the team had seen her in. She stayed at Tony's side the whole night, one of his arms wrapped around her waist.

Bruce was glad to have his science buddy back. The two talked about things that made Steve's head hurt for hours.

Captain America was overjoyed that he had not lost another Stark. Tony may irritate him, but it just wasn't the same without him. And Steve had gone through enough change for one century.

Natasha was happy as well. Stark was her teammate, and she was wildly protective of her teammates. It was her biggest flaw (not that she would ever tell anyone about it).

Clint was doubled over in laughter half of the night. It was good to have his partner-in-crime back. The meetings were no fun without Tony, who always seemed to be able to lighten the mood.

Thor was jovial and loud, raving about "the heavenly mortal rations that Friend Stark provided." He couldn't stop smiling, even when Tony told him that it was getting creepy.

The only one who was unhappy that night was Loki, alone and bitter in his cold, dark cell. But, in retrospect, when had Loki ever been truly happy?

**The End**

...

**A/N: So, that is all. It's been fun writing this, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. Please review!**


End file.
